Tractor guide



O. T. NICHOL May 27, 1930.

TRACTOR GUIDE Filed Sept. 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l Incanto/z, OnfRfT. NIcHoL l L an'ozn ww JH S E am NLM .Nm MM C May 27, 1930. o. T. NICHOL 1,760,079

TRACTOR GUIDE' Filed Sept. 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ORrRr T. NrcHoL.

magma/ M 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 QM QM. u a om o w. n Ik E n m w mk n c m G l n g 2. D MH n m .Il SSM: m fw m 2 N 0 T u pv. WV E f O 1 f rx May 27, 1930. o. T. NlcHoL TRACTOR GUIDE Filed Sept. 14, 1928 o. T. NlcHoL TRACTOR GUIDE May 27, 1930. I

Filed Sept. 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Shet' 4 :Milz

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. use with various implements, such'as plows,V

Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATE ORR T. NICHOL, 0F OMAHA, NEBRASKALASSIGNOR T0 `NICI-IOL 'MANUFACTURING COM- PANY, A CORPORATON OF NEBRASKA TRACTOR GUIDE Application. led September 14, 1928.

guiding device which may be easily andV quickly attached to and detached from the tractor. A further object is to provide an automatic guiding mechanism of the foregoing character in which the pilot-members, which engage the guiding ridge or-furrow of the ground, may be easily shifted to either side of the line of travel of the tractor, or raised to an inoperative position when it is desired to steer the tractor manually. vA further object is to provide automatically operated means for uncoupling the guiding devices from the steering mechanism ofthe tractor when the pilot-members are raised to inoperative position, and for coupling said guiding devices with the tractor steering mechanism when the pilot-members are in ground-engaging position at either side, or at the center, of the line 'of travel of the tractor, whereby when t-hev pilot-members are at inoperative positions the automatic guiding mechanism will not interfere in any way with the use ofthe manual steeringl mechanism. A furthervobject of my invention is to provide automatic guiding devices constructed and arranged to afford free access to the front'of the tractor, for uselof the starting-crank, inspecting'and filling theV radiator, and the like. A further object is to provide, in an automatic guiding attachnient for tractors, simple and positive means of adjustment whereby the guiding devices maybe adapted for use with tractors of various kinds, and said tractors adapted for two-row and three-row listers, and cultivators, which the automatically guided tractor is desired to propel. f

Serial No. 305,951.

attachment and portionsy of the tractor on which it is used, Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, Fig. i is a side elevation of the guiding attachment, partly in section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a detail front view of the hoist-head, Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the guiding attachment, Fig. 8 is a detail Vertical section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1, Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing the uncoupled position of the latch device, Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view showing extreme positions of the pilot devices, Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic side view.

showing the hoist-standard tilted forward.`

for cranking the tractor, Fig. 12 is a front view kof the cultivating guide attachment,

Fig. 13 is a side View ofthe same, and Fig.

11iis a partial plan view thereof. 1

The guiding attachment shown is adapted for use on the ordinary forms of tractors, of

which the front wheels 20 are mounted on steering-knuckles 21 pivoted at the ends of y the front axle 22, the knuckles having arms 23 which are connected by the cross-rod 24, and these steering devices having the usual connections with a steering-wheel for manual steering of the tractor. The knucklearms 23 usually extend through bosses at the inner sides of the steering-knuckles 21, and

are retained therein bynuts 25 screwedV on the threaded ends of the arms which protrude from the front ends of the bosses.

l/ Vhen a tractor is to, be equippedl with my y guiding attachment, I preferably replace onefof the nuts 25 with a special nut 26 having a stem 27 formed integrally therewith, as best shown in Fig. 2. Thisv special nut 26 is left upon the tractor permanently,l and :u

20. At the liront end of the arm 28 is secured a T-head 30, said head extending vei-, tically and carrying a U-bolt 3l ot which the intermediate portion is slightly curved,

as indicated in Fig. 2. lhe curved intermel vto said arm 28 and the steering-knuckles of the tractor.

Trunnion-plates 34 are clamped detachably to the axle 22 of the tractor', said plates 34 having forwardly projecting, transversely perforate lugs formed integrally therewith and adapted 'to receive the trunnion-pins 55 y of the yoke-member Bars 3"? are lixe'dlyT ill a nch ispivotally held the ot the gt'iide-tongue 49, the latter beuig a4 ,fr laight cylindrical bar. andthe pivotal consecured to the member 36 and extend forward therefrom convergingly, and to the front ends of said hars 37 -is hXedly secured the 'front volte-member 38. The members 36,37 and :$8 form a rigid, approximately triangular horizontal asis ot the pins The 39 or the hois -standard rests normally upon the lr nt'yole-ineinloer 38, said base 39 having ilanges which straddle over the sides of said member, and the hase is pivotally connected with the yoke-member byv a transverse bolt 40 extending through the llanges of the base, as shown. rlhe Ybase 39 has triangular-ly ar- "anged vertical soclets formed integrally herewith, and in said socketsare secured the over ends of the tubular posts 4l. Rods 42 elescope, er lit slidingly, in the upper ends t said posts 4l, and are secured atadjusted iositions therein by set-screws 43, said 'rods supporting at their upper ends Vthe hoistid vSaid head 44 an open rectangular i ine having at the lower side thereoiI `suitlne sockets for receivino` the ends of thesup- -tingl-rods and hai g therein a pair o'l\iei.'tical rollers and a hori'iental" roller 46, the latter being` arranged in trent et tl'ie lower portions of the vertical rollers 45. The base 39, head 44,' and telescoping connectinginembers 4l and42, coin- 'irise the hoist-standard,-whieh may he tilted ward'as shown in l1., the transverse fot-bolt 4() serving as the 'rulc'runrtor the i ting movement. Y Y

On the lower centralporticn ot the 'yokeniember Slare a pair of lugs 47, between rear end-piece 4S necrion with .the lugs 4T being made by a verticaL pin 50. On the intermedia-te portionfot the guide-tongue 49.heneath the front yoke- Vmember 38, thel-atch-Vblock 5l is Atixedly secured to said tongue. The upper frontportion of the latch-block 1s substantially a cylindrical sleeve surrounding concentrically volie which is movable pivotally about theV evoluhly mountthe tongue-bar. 49, as shown in Fig. 8. Said sleeve portion of the block is straddled by the head-portion ot' the coupling-member, which comprises an upper plate 52 and a lower plate 54, formed integrally with the llat terminal portion 33. The upper plate 52 is longitudinally slotted, and into said Vlongitudinal slot is extended the upper portion of a pin 53 atlixed inthe latch-block andV ltongue-bar., as hestindicated in Figs. 5, 8 and 9; The lower plate 54 of the coupling-head has a single central opening therein, for engagement with the latch-pin. 'I he lower portion ot the lat-cl-bloclr 5l is hollow or channel-shaped, and the front end el said channel-portion ei:-` tends beneath the plate 54, the upper' side ol said portion having therein an opening which Vis alined vertically with the pin The through the opening in the block, and to enter the central opening in the plate 54when lsaid opening is in register' with the pin. n Atthe front end ol the latch 55 is `a transversely extending head 58 which may be engaged, by means hereinafter described, to push the latch downwardly as shown in Fig. 9, thereby disengaging the latch-'pin 155 'from the plate ot the coupling-member, and allowing said member to move freely laterally ot' the guide tongue. l

A' chain 59 is connected with the guidetongue adjoining the'lrear end 0In the latchblock 5l, and extends therefrom upwardlyto` a ring 60 disposedupon the front post 41 oit the hoist-standarchbeneath a stop-collar 6l secured adjustably upon said e post. Freni the ring 6() the chain 59 lextends upwardly and rearwardly, and its terminal portion is tormedinto a loopvwhichlefrtends about the cap ofthe radiator B of Vthe tractor. Said chain 59 serves to support the guide-tongue normally in an approximately horizontal position, as Vshown in Fig. 4, and also pulls rearwardly upon the upper portion'ot the hoiststandard., whereby the latter is retained normally in the vertical rposition shown in said 'les figure. When the looped portion of the chain 579 disengaged from the radiator, the guide-` tongue and the yoke 37 are :permitted todrop down to vaninclined position, and thehoist- Vstandard to be tilted forwardly,'as shown in Fig. 1l, thereby clearing the rontof lthe tractor oruse of the starting-crank A, lll` ing or inspecting theradiator B, or similar purposes. Y

'On the portion of the. guide-tongue 49 which extends forwardly from the4 latchblock 5l, is mounted pivotallythe head 62 of the pilot-arm, which comprises a tubular member 63 secured to-and extending transversely from the intermediate portion of said head 62, a tubular tension-member 64 connected pivotally with the front portionA of the head 62, a rod 65 fitting slidably in the tubular member 63 and held in adjusted relations thereto by a set-screw 66, and a. tension-rod 67 connected with a collar 66 on the rod 65 and fitting slidably in the tubular tensionniember 64, and held in adjusted relations thereto by a set-screw 69. On the outer end portion of the rod 65 are revolubly mounted the pilot-disks 7 0 which are retained on the rod by collars 17() secured removably on the rod adjoining the hubs of the disks, as shown. Preferably, portions of the rod 65 are slightly bowed or bent adjacent to the pilot-disks, whereby the planes of rotation of the dis is are caused to converge forwardly, as shown in Fig. l.

To the collar 68 of the pilot-arm is connected a flexible hoisting-member, of which the lower portion is preferably a chain 7l, and the remainder a rope or cable 72, which is extended over the roller 46 and between the rollers 45 of the hoist-head 44, and thence rearwardly to a point readily accessible to the operator of the tractor. By pulling upon the cable 7 2, the pilot-arm may be raised to a vertical position in front of the hoist-standard, and either retained in said position, or lowered to a horizontal position extending either to the right or leftside ofthe guidetongue. In the several Figs. 1, 4, 5, 7 and 10, the pilot-arm is shown as extending to the right, but the reversibility thereof will be apaarent. In Fig. 9 the indicated portion of the pilot-arm is in the vertical position. AtV

the rear end of the head 62, on the side thereof opposite the members 63 and 64, is a cam-lug 7:3 which is adapted to engage the latch-head when Vthe pilot-arm is turned to the vertical position, and to press the latch downwardly to uncoupling position thereof shown in Fig. 9. i A

A perforate bar 74 is formed integrally with the head 62 and extends therefrom laterally, parallel with the member 63. In one of the several holes in said bar 74 is connected the end of a tension-member which includes a spring 75, and the-other endof said tension-member is connected with an eye 175 at the front end of the base 39. Said tension-member tends to retain the guide-tongue in the cent-ral position shown in Fig. l, by pulling inwardly thereon when the tongue has been deflected laterally toward theside to which thepilot-arm extends. Also, when the pilot-arm is in the raised position shown in Fig. 9, and the guide-tongue-thereby unceupled from the steering devices of the tractor. said tension-member 75 serves to stabilize and inhibit lateral swinging of the guidetongue.

In the use of the described automatic guiding attachment, the pilot-disks 70 are disposed in a furrow, or between ridges, previously formed and extending parallel with the path in which it is desired that the tractor be directed. Any deviation of the guiding furrmv or ridges from the path in which the tractor is moving causes a side-pressure to be rted on one of the pilot-disks, with the i ilt that the guide-tongue is moved laterally, swinging about the pivot-pin 50 at the rear end thereof, and said lateral swinging movement ofthe guide-tongue is communicated by the coupling-member 33-5254 to the arm 26, whereby the steering mechanism 'of the tractor is suitably actuated to guide the tractor-wheels 2O in a path corresponding with the deviation of the furrow or ridges. Similarly, when the guiding furrow or ridges are straight, any tendency of the tractor to swerve from a rectilinear path, such as might be caused by obstructions or roughness of the ground-surface encountered by the wheels 20, will be resisted by the pilot devices, and the path of the tractor thus-kept straight. llVhen the tractor isemployed for plowing operations, it is steered manually for the laying out of .the first furrow which, if desired, may have the form of a closed circuitous path; and after the completion of the first furrow Ythe pilot-disks may be dispos-ed thereinto guide the tractor automatically. During the laying out operationor at anytime vhen the tractor is to be steered manually, as when turning at the end of afield to traverse the same in an opposite direction, the pilotarm is raised to its vertical position by means `of a flexible hoisting-member connected therewith. At said raised position of the pilot-arm the guide mechanism is automatically uncoupled from the steering mechanism as before described, so that the operator when steering the tractor manually does not move the pilot devices from side .toside', and the manual steering may be effected as easily as if the guiding devices were `not carried upon the machine. When, the pilot-arm is lowered to its operating position at which the dislts O areengagedwitl the ground the latch 5o is permitted to raise to posit-ion for engemng the coupling-member, and if the opening in the plate 54 is not in register'` with the latch-pin, ythe steering devices .may be" moved to actuate the coupling-member until the hole and latch-pin come intoregister, and

the coupling is then completed automatically. Preferably the latch-pin and the hole therefor in the plate 54 are madeslightly tapering to facilitate the entry of the pin. The pill `53 serves tov so guide the lateral movements of the coupling-member relative to the latchblock .as to insure registry of'ithe latch-pin andholowhen the arm 28 is swung to a position correspondingwith thatof the guide- The telescop'ing members 63, 64, 65 and 67 ffl oi the pilot-arm permit said arin to be efiytended or retracted, for engaging the pilotdisls in ini-rows or between ridges at any desired dis ancelaterally trein tlie patli of the tractor. lVlien the pilot-arm is extendedr1 tlie height of tlie hoist-standard is similarly adjusted by means oi' tlie telescoping members Ll1 and 4t2, so that for any extension of tlie pilot-arm the lieiglit of tlie standard will be equal thereto, and substantially tlie saine tension upon the hoisting-member 72 will suli'ice lto pu l Jdie pilot-arm to its raised p ositi on. y

During tlie operation or" tbc guiding niecliluiisin, tlie usual irregularities of tlie Igroundlevel are accommode led by swinging; oi' tlie pilot-arm about tbe pivotal axis of the liead 62 on the guide-'tongue 49, and the `@guidetongi'ue and lieist-staiidard-yolie may alf-o 'have seine vertical movement by pivoting about the axis ot tlie Vtruniiion-pins 35, the cliaiii 59 limiting' downward movement oi" tliese parts, but allowing` tlie saine to be raised freely. llie connection formed between the lol-bolt 31 and eye-bolt 32 allows the required vertical play between the coupling-ineiiiber 323 and guide-arm '28, without permitting lateral lost-motion in the connection.

7l-ien tlie automatic guiding attachment is to be removed from the tractor, it is merely necessary to disengage tbe loop oi tlie chain 59 from tlie radiatorutp, loosen tlie setscrews 29 and remove tiie tubular guide-arm 28 from tlic nut-stein 27, loosen tlie clampbolts of one of the truiinion-plates 84, inove said plate along tlie axle tar enough to disengage tlie plate from tlietrunnion-pin 35, and linally slide tlie other trunnion-piii out oi engagement with tlie otlier plate l.` By tbe reverse of these simple operations tlie guiding device Yis attached to tbe tractor.

For use of tlie guiding ineclianisin when cultivating,v or for any similar operation iii wliicli tlie tractor-Wheels straddle the ingV furrow or ridges, the' pilot-arm is reinovediiroin the ilironteiid ot' tbe guide-tongue 49, on which tbe liead 62 is normally retained .by a Cotter-pin 76. and tlie device sliowii in Figs. 12, 18 and lfl is substituted for tlie pi-iotvarin.

liead-ineiiiber 7 7 is aiiiiied to tbe guide-tenerife A b if n lf2-ei i" f @im .i9 y i cans oi s .c-sciews (not siioun). iii-V ii'ieniber 77 has i'ornied integrally tlierewijtli transversely extending tubular portion or I' *bearing 7 8 in which is inounted nivotally tlie upper horizontal member 7 9 or -t'lie guidefraine, said inember 7S) being retained longitudinally of lthe bearing by means of set-eollars80. 'A vertical tubular socket-member 81 is formed integrally witliv one end of tlie member 79, and from tlie side ot the socket- Ymember 81 a tubular arm is eli-:tended laterally parallel with the member 7 9. socketineinber 88, similar to tlie member 81, has a ktubular T-'liead 8lV wliicli lits'slidably uponl ln said cultivating-guide device die The snide-frame may be cen yportions of tlie rods 88 set-screw 85. Froiectino laterally from tlie' b9 socket-member is an arm 86 wliicli lits slidably in tlie tubular arm 82, and is secured in adjusted positions tliereiii by a setscrew 87 In tlie socket-members 8i and 83 the stein portions of L-sliaped reds 88 are secured adjustably by means of set-screws 89. The horizontal arms of tlie rods 88 eX- tend laterally from tlie frame, being inclined slightly forward from a plane transverse to the guide-tongue 4-9, and upon said arms the pilot-disks are mounted revolubly, being retained laterally by tlie collars i70, said pilot-disks and collars being removed "from tlie rod G5 of tlie pilot-arm when tlie .cultivating-guide is to be used.` A hoist-arm 90 is extended forwardly from tlie arm 82 oi tlie guide-traine, and to saidarni is connected tlie hoist-chain 71. By tension upon tlie lioisty,

gember the guide-frame may be swung tore 1 .al 1 wardly and upwardly, abouttlie axis ol tue member 79 iii the bearing 78,l 'to'an extreme position indicated vby dotted lines in Fig, 13, atwliicli tlie swinging movement is limited by engagement or" the arm 82 with a'stoplug 91 iorined integrally with and extending upwardly from tlie bearing 78. A stop-lug 92 extendino downwardl from tlie 'bead 77 D :a n 7 is engaged by tliev arm 82 or arm 8o to prevent the guide-traine swinging rearwardly beyond the position at which the socket-ineinlbers 81 and83`are vertical, as shown in Figs.

12 and 1?). On tlie head-member 77 is an upwardly extending` lug 93 on wliicii is pivoted a lever 94-` Saidlever is normally at an inclined position as sliown in Figzrll, tber Vof tlie guide-frame may be 'varied by adjusting the position oi tlie bead V8l ontlie ineinber 79, and of tlie arni V in tlie arm 82,

and tlie lateral lspacing ot tlie pilot-disks tlius suited to tlie spacing' of tlie ridges to be engaged by tlie disks roi: ,uiidiiig-tlie` tractor.

bearing 78, or given an unequal-lateral extension therefrom, by varying,` tlie posi-tions of the set-collarsSO on tlie nien mr angular relation of the pilot-dists to tlie line of ktravel may also be varied by oosening` .l tlie set-screws 89, and turning tlie vertical in tliersoclrets 81 and 83. f

Now, having described my invention, what y ered with the The' I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatont is: l c

l. Automatic guiding means for tractors of the class having wheels mounted on steering-knuckles pivoted at the ends of a xed transverse axle, comprising a guide-tongue connected at its rear end with the tractoraxle and swingable about a vertical axis adjoining said axle, pilot devices mounted pivotally upon the front end portion of said guide-tongue, hoisting means connected with said pilot devices for moving the same from ground-engaging position to a position elevated above the guide-tongue, a guide-arm secured to the tractor-steering means and projecting forwardly therefrom, means normally coupling the guide-tongue with said guide-arm whereby the latter is moved in accordance with the lateral swinging movements of the guide-tongue, and means actuated by elevating of the pilot devices for disconnecting said coupling means from the guide-tongue.

2. Guiding means for tractors having wheels mounted on steering-knuckles pivoted at the ends of a fixed transvexse axle, comprising a yoke-member connected with saidv axle and movable about an axis parallel therewith, a laterally swingable guide-tongue connected pivotally withthe central portion of said yoke-member and extending forwardly therefrom, a pilot-arm mounted upon the front portion of said guide-tongue and swingable in a transverse vertical plane to extend laterally therefrom in opposite directions, ground-engaging members carried by said pilot-arm, a guide-arm extended forwardly from one of the steering-knuckles of the tractor, coupling means connected with said guide-arm and normally connected with an intermediate portion of said guide-tongue, a hoist-standard carried by said yoke-member, a. flexible hoist-member guided in the upper portion of said standard and connected with said pilot-armfor swinging the same about the guide-tongue to elevate the ground-engaging members, and means carried by said pilot-arm and operable to disconnect the guide-tongue from said coupling means when the ground-engaging members are in elevated position.

8. In a tractor of the class having wheels mounted on steering-knuckles pivoted at the ends of a fixed transverse axle, a tractorguiding attachment having a forwardly extending guide-tongue, pilot devices connected pivotally with the front portion of said guide-tongue and movable about the same from a lowered operating positionto an elevated inoperative position, a coupling member connected with the tractor-steering means and engaging slidably an intermediate portion of the guide-tongue, means for elevating the pilot devices to said inoperative position, a latch for detachably connecting said coupling means with the intermediate portion of the guide-tongue, and means for actuating said latch to a releasing positiony when the pilot devices are elevated to inoperative position. c

l. In a guiding mechanism for tractors of the class having wheels mounted on steeringknuckles pivoted at the ends of a fixed transverse axle, a yoke-member connected with the tractor axle and movable about an axis parallel therewith, a laterally swingable guidetongue connected pivotally with the central portion of said yoke-member and extending 'forwardly therefrom, a pilot-arm mounted upon the front portion of said guide-tongue and swingable in a transverse vertical plane to extend laterally therefrom in opposite directions, ground-engaging members carried by said pilot-arm, means for coupling the guide-tongue with the steering mechanism of the tractor whereby the latter is actuated in accordance with the lateral swinging movements of the guide-tongue, a hoiststandard carried by said yoke-member, a flexible member guided in the upper portion of said hoist-standard and connected with said pilot-arm for swinging the same about the guide-tongue and elevating the groundengaging members, the hoist-standard and pilot-arm each comprising telescoping members whereby the height of the former and the length of the latter are adjustable to correspond with each other, and means for retaining said telescoping members in adj usted relations 5. In a tractor of the class having wheels mounted on steering-knuckles pivoted at the ends of a fixed transverse axle, a tractorguiding attachment having a forwardly cxtending guide-tongue, pilot devices connected pivotally with the front portion of said guide-tongue and movable about the same from a lowered operating position to an clevated inoperative position, a coupling member connected with the steering mechanism of the tractor and engaging an intermediate portion of the guide-tongue, means for elevating the pilot devices to said inoperative position, means detachably connecting said coupling means with the guide-tongue, means for releasing said connecting means when the pilot devices are elevated to inoperative position, and means inhibiting lateral swinging of the guide-tongue when the pilot devices are elevated.

6. In a tractor-guiding attachment for tractors of the class havingwheels mounted on steering-knuckles pivoted at the ends of a fixed transverse axle, a yoke-member extending forwardly from the tractor-axle and detachably connected therewith to swing about an axis parallel thereto, a standard mounted on the front portion of said yoke-member and connected therewith to tilt forwardly from a normal vertical position, a guide-tongue leo CTI

tax

connected with the rear portion of said yokenieniber to swing about a vertical axis, a

extending from the upper portion of said standard to the pilot devices and operable to' raise the latter to said elevated position, a coupling-nieinber operatively connected with the steering mechanism of the tractor and slidably engaging an intermediate portion of the guide-tongue, a latch for connecting said coupling-member and the guide-tongue to communicate movements of the latter to said member, and means connected with the pilot devices for releasing said latch when the pilot devices are raised 'to inoperative posit-ion,

7. In a tractor-guiding attichment for tractors of the class having wheels mounted on steering-knuckles pivoted the ends of a fixed transverse axle, the combination with a. guide-tongue connected pivotally with the axle of the tractor andextending forwardly therefrom, pilot devices connected pivotally with the front portion of said guide-tongue and movable about the saine from opposite vlaterally extending positions; to an elevated inoperative position, and means operatively connecting said guide-tongue with the steering n'iechanism of the tractor, of a yoke connected with the axle and extending forwardly therefrom, a hoist-standard mounted tiltably upon said yoke and normallyT extending upv-.iardly therefrom in front of the tractorbody, flexible hoisting means connected with the pilot devices and guided in the upper portion of said hoist-standard, and means normally connecting the hoist-standard with the upper front portion of the tractor-body to maintain. said standard in erect position, said connecting means being releasable from the tractor-body to ena-ble tilting of said standard to clear the front of the tractorbody.

8. In an automatic guiding attachment for tractors having wheels mounted on steering-knuckles at the ends of a fixed transverse axle, a horizontal forwardly projecting stem a'lilxed permanently to one of said steering-knuckles, a tubular arm detacliably secured to and extended forwardly from said stem, a couplino-inember connected with the front portion or said arm and movable pivotally relatively thereto in a horizontal plane, trunnion-plates detachably connected with the intermediate portion of the tractor axle, a yoke connected with said trunnion-plates to swing about an axis parallel with the axle,

a guide-tongue connected with said yoke to swing about a vertical axis ad]acent to the axle, pilot devices mounted upon the front yportion of said guide-tongue, means normally supporting said yoke and guide-tongue in substantially' horizontal position, a hoist-- standard supported upon the yoke, and flexible hoisting means extending from the upperv portion of said standard to the pilot-devices. 9. In a guiding attachment for tractors of the class having wheels mounted on steeringknuckles pivoted at the ends of a fixed trans-- verse axle, a guide-arm rigidly secured to and extending forwardly from a steering-knuckle of the tractor, a guide-tongue extending foi'- wardly from the central portion of the tractor-axle and connected therewith to swing horizontally and to swing vertically'about an axis parallel with the axle, pilot devices carried on the front portion of said guic etongue, a coupling-member extending transversely between the guide-arm and guidetongue and connected with the latter by verical Divotinomeans an e e havinO' a vertending forwardly from the tractor axle and Connected therewith to swing about an axis parallel therewith, a guide-tongue connected.

with said yoke-member to swing about avertical'axis adjacent tothe axle, pilot devices mounted upon the front portion of said guide-tongue and swingabl'e in a plane transverse thereto from ground-engaging positions to an elevated inoperative position, a

con ling-member'normall connectin'fy said guide-tongue and the steering' mechanism of the tractor, inea-ns actuated by movement of the pilot devices to elevated position and operating to disconnect said coupling member from the guide-tongue, a standard mounted tiltably upon the front portion ofV said yokemember, hoisting means connected with the pilot devices and extending therefrom to the upper portion of said standard, and a flexible supporting member connected with the' guide-tongue and said tiltable standard and detachably connected With the upper front portion of the tractor-body y ORR T. NICHOL. 

